Apparatus for cracking oil



Feb. 10, 1931. c. EGLOFFET AL APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OIL Original Filed April 25, 1921 llama; Gus'fav 1' ofi'.

Harry 7. Benne Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV EGLOFF AND HARRY P. BENNER, OF CHICAGO, IIJIiINOIS, ASSIGNOBS TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA APPARATUS FOR CRACKING OIL s Application filed April 25, 1821, Serial No. 464,868. Renewed September 28, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for cracking oils and refers more particularly to an improved apparatus for facilitating the cracking reaction in the vaporizing zone and in addition, distributing the carbon precipitated over the entire area of the expansion chamber.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide an apptaratus for cracking oil in which the oil, a cracking temperature in the heating zone is passed through the transfer line andcintroduced into either or both ends of an expansion chamber; to provide an apparatus whereby the oil when being introduced to.

the expansion chamber is fed through small orifice pipes or pipes of relatively smaller in general to provide an improved apparatus of the character referred to.

The single figure in the drawing shows a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of our improved apparatus,

It is well known that when crac ng oils athi h temperatures and pressures, there is a decided tendencyfor recipitated carbon from the heated oil to bulld up and accumuficulties in that it eventually clogs late at the outlet from the transfer line in the vaporizing zone; This in time auses 'difthe outlet of the transfer line of the expansion chamber and makes it necessa to shut down the plant for cleaning. The localization of carbon prevents. eflicient. operation for a maximum period of time and itis one of the purposes .of the presentinventionQto elminate, to a great extent, this localization of carbon in the expansion chamber, and at the same time, assist thelvaporization of er being heated to a.

the oil. the factthat we introduce the heated oil from the heating tubes through pipes of rela tively smaller diameter than the main transfer line' into either or both ends of the vapor chamber, when carbon is precipitated, it is more evenly distributed and the tendency for the carbon to accumulate at the outlet of the transfer line is to a great extent obviated.

Referring in detail to the drawing, Idesignates the inlet line through which the raw oil to be treated is fed from any suitable.

source (not shown) by means of a pump 2. 3 designates the heating coils, which iii the present instance take the form of a plurality of tubes. 8 designatesthe furnace, provided with burner 9, and stack 11. After being heated to a cracking temperature in the heating coils, the oil passes by way of the transfer line 4, which terminates in two secondary transfer lines 5 and6, in which are interposed the valves 7 and 7a, said secondary transfer lines communicatingwith either end of the vapor chamber 10, the latter preferably taking the form of an elongated shelllike chamber. If it is desired to introduce the heated oil into only one end of the expansion chamber, for instance the end nearestthe heating coil, the valve 7 is closed and the valve 7a opened. On the other hand, if it is desired to allow. the heated oil to enter the expansion chamber at the opposite end, the valve "7a isclosed, and the valve 7- opened. However, the particular applica tion of our invention is the introduction of the heated oil under treatment simultaneously ,into both ends of the expansion chamber throughpipes of relatively-smaller diameter than the main transfer line which, besides distributin the precipitated carbon By our improved process, due to evenly, increases t e velocity at which the oil is introduced to the vapor chamber. This latter method allows the expansion chamber to be used for a longer length of time than is now possible, due to the fact that the carbon is precipitated uniformly therein.

.From the top of the vapor-chamber extends a riser 12 leading to the bottom of a dephle ator 13 through which the vapors efi from the oil body in the expansion releas chamberpass. The dephlegmator-13 is provided with baifles 14 around which thevapors must pass in their travel therethrough. The top of the riser 12 is equipped with the usual spaced cap. ortion 15, which allows the vapors to pass reely into the dephlegmator but preventing any of the reflux condensate from fallin back into the. expansion chamber. The rawofl line 16, controlled w by valve 17, is provided at the bottom of the .deph legmator for returning the reflux condensate or condensed portions of the vapors to the charging line. After bein dephlegmated, the vapors pass through the line 18,

15 controlled by valve 19, into the water condenser coil set in condenser box 21, where after being condensed, they are transferred by means of line 22 controlled by valve 23 into receiver '24. The receiver 24 is provided with the usual pressure gauge 25, liquid level gauge 26, liquid drawofi 27 controlled by valve '28 and gas outlet pipe 29 controlled by valve 30.

- The operation of the process is as follows:

The oil to be treated is introduced through the charging line 1 into the, heating coils where it is heated to a temperature of between (00 and 800 degrees F. The heated oil, after passing through the heatin tubes,

4 is directed to the vapor chamber t rough the transfer line 4 and secondary lines 5 and 6, where it'vaporizes the vaporized portion passin into the dephlegmator and receiver as exp ained. The residuum or unvaporized oil is drawn off through the residuum outlet at the bottom of the vaporizing chamber. \The system is at all times operated under a V pressure of apigoximately 200 pounds to the square inch. crackin a Mexican fuel to oil of approximately 16 egrees Bauni in this manner, 25% of a distillate of gasolinelike character having a Baum avity between 51 and 55 degrees is obtained, based on the raw oil charge. We claim as our invention:

In an apparatus for cracking oil, the combination with a furnace, of a cracking coil disposed therein'through which oil is passed in a single passage to be subjected to a crack ing temperature, an enlarged horizontal vapor chamber separated from said coil, of valve controlled meansfor passing heated oil in liquid phase from said coil into either or the opposite extremities of said horizontal vapor chamber, means for increasing the velocity of the oil as it reaches points near the entrances to said vapor chamber, a condenser in communication with the vapor chamber, and means for maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing treatment.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. HARRY P. BENNER. 

